Solution not Pollution: The OutdoorCureOnline Guide to Thinking Differently About Our Carbon Footprint

Solution not Pollution: The OutdoorCureOnline Guide to Thinking Differently About Our Carbon Footprint

It’s all too easy to watch a documentary about climate change, or to listen to an activist’s speech and right there in that precise moment, be spurred into action. What is not so easy is to remember to continue to take those actions every single day and make long term changes to our own lifestyles that feed into the bigger picture. If any of our reader’s out there watched the recent ‘Climate Change: The Facts’ documentary, you will perhaps know exactly what we are talking about. At OutdoorCureOnline we have started to look at our own individual impact on the environment and what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. After a bit of discussion, the idea of putting together personal and sustainable eco goals was born. We have come up with a list below of seven simple ways to live a more eco-conscious lifestyle and would love to hear any suggestions you have. A quote we read recently which simply said ‘“It’s just one plastic straw” said 8 billion people’, really did hit us where it hurt. We all need to take personal responsibility for reducing our impact on the environment in a way that is right for us. We can all play our part and plant earth is the one thing we all have in common! Have a little read of our list below and please share your ideas or tips with us.

Seven ways to tread lighter on the planet:
1) Create your own eco-acronym. It may sound silly but if you want to live a more eco-aware lifestyle it really is a fun way to develop a new way of thinking. Yes we did one, yes we will share it. Eat seasonal and shop local, Ask if there is an eco-alternative to what you are buying, Recycle, precycle and upcycle, Think transport – can I walk, bike or run instead of using the car. Hit the switches to off when it’s not in use. (E.A.R.T.H)
2) Get into the habit of taking reusable drinks containers with you for water and hot drinks, and get stricter until you remember to take them – if you forget your reusable cup, drink in or go without.
3) Reduce your food waste. 7.3 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK every year – a huge waste of food, money and it adds to the amount of CO2 being created in landfills! Write a meal plan, don’t buy it if you don’t need it and utilise your freezer – it’s amazing what can actually be frozen – research it!
4) If you do get any food that goes past its best before date – consider composting it, rather than throwing it away. If you haven’t got your own composting facilities – or won’t use it, have a think… is there anywhere else you can compost it… friends, family, community garden?
5) Reduce your use of single use plastics – buy your fruit and veg loose, stop buying bottled water and where possible look for alternatives such as cotton buds without the plastic middle. We are currently exploring bamboo toothbrushes!
6) Recycle, precycle or upcycle everything possible. Sometimes it’s worth doing a bit of research before you put it in the bin. Get to know what and where you can recycle and check out ideas for upcycling on Pinterest.
7) Eat less meat, in particular red meat. Some of the environmental effects that have been associated with meat production are pollution through fossil fuel useage, animal methane and water and land consumption.
We hope you enjoyed our seven simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint and will join us in being part of the solution rather than the pollution.